Silius Italicus
Silius Italicus werd geboren in 25/26 na Chr. Hij begon zijn politieke carrière onder keizer Nero, en werd consul in 68. Onder Vespasianus was hij stadhouder van Asia, maar hij bracht de rest van zijn leven door in welstand en verborgenheid, rijkelijk gezegend met aardse goederen. Hij koesterde een bijzondere verering voor Vergilius, die hij niet alleen met grote devotie bestudeerde, maar wiens begraafplaats hij bovendien had opgekocht. Hij vierde Vergilius' verjaardag met groter praal dan de zijne.
Toen hij op het einde van zijn leven aan een ongeneeslijke kwaal begon te lijden, verkoos hij zijn leven te beëindigen door geen voedsel meer tot zich te nemen. Silius Italicus overleed op 75-jarige leeftijd op zijn landgoed in Campania, tussen zijn uitgebreide verzameling boeken en kunstwerken.
Toen hij op het einde van zijn leven aan een ongeneeslijke kwaal begon te lijden, verkoos hij zijn leven te beëindigen door geen voedsel meer tot zich te nemen. Silius Italicus overleed op 75-jarige leeftijd op zijn landgoed in Campania, tussen zijn uitgebreide verzameling boeken en kunstwerken.
Punica en Hannibal
In de Punica wordt verslag gedaan van de Tweede Punische Oorlog. De Punische of Carthaagse Oorlogen waren begonnen omdat de Carthagers de stad Saguntum hadden aangevallen. Saguntum was een bondgenoot van Rome. Toen het nieuws hen bereikte dat ze was aangevallen, verklaarde Rome de oorlog aan Carthago. In de Punica is Hannibal de hoofdpersoon en tevens de antiheld. Zijn tegenhanger is Scipio, de Romeinse generaal door wie hij uiteindelijk verslagen is.
Het schild
Engelse vertaling van het schild-gedeelte:
But behold! the peoples who dwell by the Atlantic brought gifts to the general. They gave him a shield that glittered with cruel sheen, the work of Gallician craftsmen; a helmet wreathed with flashing plumes, on the height of whose white crest snowy feathers nodded and waved; a sword and a spear that, though it was but one, was to slay its thousands. There was also a cuirass wrought with triple bosses of gold, a defence that no weapon could pierce.
This armour was wrought throughout of bronze and tough steel, and covered richly with the gold of the Tagus; and Hannibal surveyed each part of it with joy and triumph in his eyes, and he delighted to see there depicted the beginnings of Carthage.
Dido was shown building the city of infant Carthage; her men had beached their ships and were busily engaged. Some were enclosing a harbour vdth piers; to others dwellings were assigned by Bitias, a righteous and venerable old man. Men pointed to the head of a warhorse which they had found in the soil when digging, and hailed the omen with a shout.
Amid these scenes Aeneas was shown, robbed of his ships and men and cast up by the sea; with his right hand he made supplication. The hapless queen looked eagerly upon him with unclouded brow and with looks already friendly.
Next, the art of Gallicia had fashioned the cave and the secret tryst of the lovers; high rose the shouting and the baying of hounds; and the mounted huntsmen, alarmed by a sudden rainfall, took shelter in the forest. Not far away, the fleet of the Aeneadae had left the shore and was making for the open sea, while Elissa was calling them back in vain.
Then Dido by herself was standing wounded on a huge pyre, and charging a later generation of Tyrians to avenge her by war; and the Dardan, out at sea, was watching the blazing pile and spreading his sails for his high destiny.
On another part of the shield Hannibal prayed at the altars of the nether gods, and, with the Stygian priestess, made a secret libation of blood, and swore to fight against the Aeneadae from his youth up. And old Hamilcar was there, riding proudly over the Sicilian fields; one might think that he was alive and rousing breathless conflict — fire shines in his eyes, and his image is grim with menace.
The left side also of the shield was filled with Spartan warriors, carved in high relief; they were led in triumph by victorious Xanthippus, who came from Amyclae, the city of Leda. Near them hung Regulus, glorious in suffering, beneath a picture of his punishment, setting to Saguntum a noble example of loyalty. Hard by was a happier scene — herds of wild beasts chased by hunters, and African huts, carved in shining metal.
Not far away the savage sunburnt sister of a blackamoor soothed lionesses, her companions, with her native speech. The shepherd roamed free over the plains, and his flock, unforbidden, made their way into pastures without limit; the Punic guardian of the herd took all his possessions with him, according to the custom of his country — his javelins, his barking Cretan hound, his tent, his fire hidden in the veins of flint, and the reedpipe which his steers know well.
Conspicuous on the shield was Saguntum, rising on its lofty eminence; and round it swarmed countless hosts and serried ranks of fighters, who assailed it with their quivering spears. On the outer rim of the shield flowed the Ebro, enclosing the vast circuit with its curves and windings. And there was Hannibal; having broken the treaty by crossing the river, he was summoning the Punic nations to battle against Rome.
Proud of such a gift, the leader fitted the new armour to his broad shoulders with a clang. Then, with head held high, he spoke thus : "Ah! what torrents of Roman blood will drench this armour! How great a penalty shall the Senate, the disposer of war, pay to me!"
Op het schild staan verschillende scènes afgebeeld. Allereerst Dido die de beginselen van Carthago bouwt. Men is onder andere een haven aan het bouwen en een paardenhoofd dat is gevonden in de grond wordt als een goed voorteken gezien. Daarna ziet Hannibal Aeneas
But behold! the peoples who dwell by the Atlantic brought gifts to the general. They gave him a shield that glittered with cruel sheen, the work of Gallician craftsmen; a helmet wreathed with flashing plumes, on the height of whose white crest snowy feathers nodded and waved; a sword and a spear that, though it was but one, was to slay its thousands. There was also a cuirass wrought with triple bosses of gold, a defence that no weapon could pierce.
This armour was wrought throughout of bronze and tough steel, and covered richly with the gold of the Tagus; and Hannibal surveyed each part of it with joy and triumph in his eyes, and he delighted to see there depicted the beginnings of Carthage.
Dido was shown building the city of infant Carthage; her men had beached their ships and were busily engaged. Some were enclosing a harbour vdth piers; to others dwellings were assigned by Bitias, a righteous and venerable old man. Men pointed to the head of a warhorse which they had found in the soil when digging, and hailed the omen with a shout.
Amid these scenes Aeneas was shown, robbed of his ships and men and cast up by the sea; with his right hand he made supplication. The hapless queen looked eagerly upon him with unclouded brow and with looks already friendly.
Next, the art of Gallicia had fashioned the cave and the secret tryst of the lovers; high rose the shouting and the baying of hounds; and the mounted huntsmen, alarmed by a sudden rainfall, took shelter in the forest. Not far away, the fleet of the Aeneadae had left the shore and was making for the open sea, while Elissa was calling them back in vain.
Then Dido by herself was standing wounded on a huge pyre, and charging a later generation of Tyrians to avenge her by war; and the Dardan, out at sea, was watching the blazing pile and spreading his sails for his high destiny.
On another part of the shield Hannibal prayed at the altars of the nether gods, and, with the Stygian priestess, made a secret libation of blood, and swore to fight against the Aeneadae from his youth up. And old Hamilcar was there, riding proudly over the Sicilian fields; one might think that he was alive and rousing breathless conflict — fire shines in his eyes, and his image is grim with menace.
The left side also of the shield was filled with Spartan warriors, carved in high relief; they were led in triumph by victorious Xanthippus, who came from Amyclae, the city of Leda. Near them hung Regulus, glorious in suffering, beneath a picture of his punishment, setting to Saguntum a noble example of loyalty. Hard by was a happier scene — herds of wild beasts chased by hunters, and African huts, carved in shining metal.
Not far away the savage sunburnt sister of a blackamoor soothed lionesses, her companions, with her native speech. The shepherd roamed free over the plains, and his flock, unforbidden, made their way into pastures without limit; the Punic guardian of the herd took all his possessions with him, according to the custom of his country — his javelins, his barking Cretan hound, his tent, his fire hidden in the veins of flint, and the reedpipe which his steers know well.
Conspicuous on the shield was Saguntum, rising on its lofty eminence; and round it swarmed countless hosts and serried ranks of fighters, who assailed it with their quivering spears. On the outer rim of the shield flowed the Ebro, enclosing the vast circuit with its curves and windings. And there was Hannibal; having broken the treaty by crossing the river, he was summoning the Punic nations to battle against Rome.
Proud of such a gift, the leader fitted the new armour to his broad shoulders with a clang. Then, with head held high, he spoke thus : "Ah! what torrents of Roman blood will drench this armour! How great a penalty shall the Senate, the disposer of war, pay to me!"
Op het schild staan verschillende scènes afgebeeld. Allereerst Dido die de beginselen van Carthago bouwt. Men is onder andere een haven aan het bouwen en een paardenhoofd dat is gevonden in de grond wordt als een goed voorteken gezien. Daarna ziet Hannibal Aeneas